Netherlands striker Vivianne Miedema has declared she "will not be friends" with her partner Beth Mead when the two nations clash in a crucial Euro 2025 Group D encounter on Wednesday evening.
The Manchester City forward, who has been in a relationship with the Arsenal striker for three years, made the stark admission ahead of the pivotal match at a packed stadium.
The Dutch international, who netted her 100th senior international goal against Wales on Saturday, acknowledged the personal stakes involved in facing her partner and former Arsenal teammate.
The couple maintain strict professional boundaries when competing against each other, with Miedema revealing their "golden rule" that they "do not discuss anything" before matches.
Vivianne Miedema scored her 100th senior goal in the game against Wales
Reuters
"Tomorrow for once we will not be friends. I will do everything I can to win tomorrow. If I have to do something that is not good for Beth, then I will do it," Miedema stated firmly.
"I don't know whether she'll be starting tomorrow or whether she'll be on the bench. As a Dutch player I will do everything possible to win the game," she explained.
When asked about the aftermath of a potential Dutch victory, Miedema admitted: "I don't think she'll speak to me for a bit but it's tough. I also have some of my best friends on that team. It's part of football."
Despite her competitive stance, the striker cautioned her teammates against underestimating England following their opening defeat.
"They can turn up tomorrow and be absolutely unreal so we need to be ready," Miedema warned.
The match carries enormous significance for both sides, with England requiring a victory to maintain their European title defence following Saturday's 2-1 loss to France.
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Beth Mead will need a win to keep her Euro hopes alive
Reuters
The Lionesses face elimination if they lose, unless Wales manage to defeat France later on Wednesday evening. For the Netherlands, a win would guarantee their progression to the knockout stages whilst simultaneously ending England's campaign.
England have not suffered a group-stage exit from any tournament since 2013, whilst manager Sarina Wiegman has reached four consecutive major tournament finals as a head coach.
Saturday's defeat marked the first time in a decade that England had failed to win a group-stage fixture at a women's major tournament, their last such setback coming against France at the 2015 World Cup in Canada.
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Netherlands head coach Andries Jonker dismissed suggestions that England's defeat to France had weakened them significantly.
"In the first 20 minutes, England played very well. I'm a trainer, I look at the facts. Their second half was an even battle. The media reaction it's quite dramatic. That's not my cup of tea," Jonker stated.
England manager Sarina Wiegman appeared unfazed by the pressure, embracing the high-stakes nature of the encounter.
"Playing matches like these makes it special. This is why we are doing it. These are the best matches you can possibly dream of," she said.
Sarina Wiegman has emphasised her team is unfazed by the pressure
Reuters
Arsenal striker Alessia Russo expressed the squad's eagerness to bounce back from their opening disappointment.
"When you have a disappointing result in football, all you want to do is get back out on the pitch and play again," Russo said.
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